As is the case with any new managerial appointment, there will be several winners and losers at Barcelona with the arrival of Hansi Flick as the team’s new head coach.
Some players, especially those who were not getting a lot of opportunities under Xavi, will be looking at this change with optimism, while others might be fearing a decline in their importance in the team for the next season.
One player who is facing a more complicated situation and does not neatly fall into either of these two categories is Ansu Fati, who spent the last season on loan at Brighton and Hove Albion, but has always wanted to succeed at Barcelona, where he will be returning this summer.
Upon taking his duties at the new club, one of the first tasks that Flick handles is that of evaluating the players returning from loan and those who did not have many minutes in the last season.
According to SPORT, the German is treating Fati’s case with a significant amount of interest, and is willing to give him a chance to prove himself in the upcoming pre-season.
Barcelona understand that Fati has always maintained his commitment to Barcelona, and has shown his willingness to fight for a position in the team. However, with their FFP limitations and salary cap problems, it will be very difficult to make space for him in the team.
Still, Flick, who has had very good reports about Fati’s early season explosion at Barcelona, wants to see him playing live before making a decision on a possible loan or sale. In addition to seeing him close, giving him chances in the pre-season will also make him prominent enough for other sides to see his talent and raise his demand in the market.
As things stand, Barcelona have already received some offers from Spain for the winger, despite the difficult time he had during the last phase of his loan at Brighton.
Sevilla and Valencia both have made inquiries about him, with the former especially interested in him. Several Saudi clubs have also shown an interest in him, while Wolverhampton Wanderers can also be another option for him.
